Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli

Summary (from the publisher): Enemies-to-lovers doesn't get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli's latest romantic fantasy

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe - a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution - who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch...is falling in love.

Review: While she appears to the world as a spoiled socialite, Rune spends her nights rescuing her fellow witches from being purged. In the aftermath of a dark revolution, witches are ruthlessly hunted and killed. While Rune couldn't save her own grandmother, she wants to save others of her kind from the same fate. But when a rescue goes wrong, Rune must court Gideon Sharpe, a well-known witch hunter to gain information needed to free her. Little does she know that Gideon too is entering the courtship with ulterior motives. Gradually, Gideon realizes that beyond the shallow facade of a girl who seemingly spends her days with balls and social functions is a sharp mind - but is she the witch he has been hunting?

This was a fun enemies-to-lovers young adult love story. It also incorporated fake dating and a love triangle, so it really did it all! Something about Rune and Gideon reminded me a lot of Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, although the fantasy back story is very different in each. 

There were some plot elements that felt unfinished to me. There is no real good explanation for the immense wealth that Rune enjoys or much information about her parents or background. I didn't understand what exactly was supporting all the endless balls. It also seemed difficult to believe that Gideon could simultaneously be a person ultimately worthy of Rune's love and a ruthless and heartless witch killer. But I did enjoy it overall and looking forward to book two to see where the plot goes from here. 

Stars: 3.5